Briefcase closure



Oct. 1, 1963 A. HARRIS BRIEFCASE CLOSURE Filed March 13, 1961 INVENTORABRAHAM HARRI$ ATTORNEYS.

This invention relates to briefcases of the satchel or valise type and,more particularly, to a novel closure construction for such briefcases.

Briefcases of this type generally comprise a pair of side walls ofrelatively rigid or stifi natural or artificial leather or leather-likematerial interconnected by foldable end and bottom walls of relativelyflexible material. The closure construction includes a pair of pivotallyinterconnected U-shaped rigid frames, each having an elongated baseextending along the top edge or margin of a respective side wall, theouter ends of the arms of the two frame members being pivotallyinterconnected. The two frame members are so interrelated that, when thebriefcase is closed, they overlap with the outer frame member overlyingand embracing the inner frame memher.

The outer frame member has secured thereto a handle for carrying thebriefcase and a flap, of relatively stiif natural or artificial leatheror leather-like material, is sewn or riveted to the side wall associatedwith this outer frame member and positioned to extend downwardly overthe side wall associated with the inner frame member. This latter sidewall has a key operated latch construction which is engageable with acatch on the end of this flap.

The flap secured to the side wall hav'mg the outer frame member isgenerally relatively long and, when the briefcase is open, overlaps theinner frame member and extends down along the side wall associated withthe latter. Frequently, the loop or catch on the end of this flap willengage or catch in the latch, which is annoying. It may be stated thatthis flap is biased to normally overlie the opposite side Wall of thebriefcase, and difficulty is experienced in keeping the flap out of theway when the briefcase is open.

A further disadvantage of known constructions is that the entire weightof the briefcase is carried by the outer frame member to which thehandle is secured, the only transfer of weight to the other side of thebriefcase being that provided by the catch on the flap being engaged inthe latch on the side Wall associated with the inner frame of thebriefcase. Consequently, after a period of time, the inner frame of thebriefcase tends to sag away from the outer frame thereof, when thebriefcase is closed, providing a very unsightly appearance for thebriefcase.

The present invention is directed to a new type of flap construction forsuch briefcase, in which the flap is secured to one half of a metalhinge, the other half of metal hinge being secured to the outer frame ofthe briefcase. Thereby, the flap is no longer biased to extend over theother wall of the briefcase and may be tipped back out of the Way whenthe briefcase is open. As a preferred form of the invention, the secondhalf of the hinge, which is secured to the outer frame of the briefcase,is provided with an extension forming therewith a U-shaped clip which isarranged to embrace the inner frame of the briefcase when the briefcaseis closed so that the weight normally taken by the inner frame of thebriefcase is transferred, through the U-shaped clip, to the outer frameof the briefcase and thus to the handle. This prevents sagging of theinner frame of the briefcase, when the briefcase is closed, and thusprevents the aforementioned unsightly appearance of the briefcase.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference ismade to the following description of typical embodiments thereof asillustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a briefcase closure embodying apreferred form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical, substantially central sectional View through thebriefcase closure with the briefcase closed but the flap in a retractedposition;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the combined flap hinge andU-shaped clip embodying the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a hinge member formed in accordance withanother embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, which illustrate a preferred embodimentof the invention, a briefcase 1! of the satchel or valise type, isillustrated as having relatively stiff side Walls 11 and 21. Adjacentthe upper edges of Walls 11 and 21, margins 12, and 22, each comprisingan elongated strip of relatively flexible natural or artificial leatheror leather-like material folded over upon itself about a mediallongitudinal line, are stitched to the upper edges of walls 11 and 21.These margins 12 and 22 extend not only over the upper edges of walls 11and 21, respectively, but also substantially therebeyond, and themargins substantially fully enclose the respective frame members 13 and23. Each frame member is preferably of metal and is substantiallyU-shaped in elevation, the base being relatively elongated and the legsbeing relatively short. The corresponding ends of the two frame members13 and 23 are pivotally interconnected in the usual manner to form thehinged closure for the briefcase.

A handle 15 is secured to the outer frame 213, as by having looped endsreceiving pins 14 disposed between spaced metal posts 16 anchored, inany suitable manner, to the outer frame 13. A flap 24 is secured to thewall 21, to assist in opening the briefcase, and below this flap aconventional latch 25 is secured to the wall 21. The construction of thebriefcase, as so far described, is conventional and, in the usualmanner, the latch 25 is arranged to cooperate with a catch 17 extendingfrom a metal plate 18 bent over and anchored to the outer end of aclosure flap Ztl. For this purpose, the latch '25 is provided withseveral slots 26 and is arranged to be operated, for engagement anddisengagement of catch 17, by suitable means such as a handle 27.Additionally, latch 25 may be provided with the usual lock 28.

As stated, a principal feature of the invention resides in the manner inwhich the flap 25 is secured to the outer frame 13. In the preferredarrangement shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a first metal hinge member St}is anchored to the inner end of flap 26'. Member 30 comprises a metalplate which is folded upon itself and provided with a central andsubstantially rectangular slot 31. One side of the folded metal plate isprovided with prongs 32 adjacent its outer edge, and the other side ofthe metal plate is provided with prongs 33 intermediate its inner andouter edges. By placing the inner edge of flap 2% into the folded metalplate hinge member 30, and then compressing the sides of the foldedmetal plate toward each other, the hinge member 39' is anchored to theinner edge of flap 29 by engagement of prongs 32 and 33 through thematerial of the flap.

It will be noted that the hinge member 30 is positioned on the flap 20in such a manner that the inner edges of the notch 31 are slightly abovethe inner edge of the flap, thus leaving two long tudinally separatedU-shaped bight portions projecting from the inner end of the flap 20.These spaced bight portions receive a hinge pintle 35.

Hinge pintle 35 acts as the pivotal interconnection between the firsthinge member 30 and the second hinge member 40. The second hinge member40 is a metal member including a plate portion 41 formed with holes 42for receiving rivets 4;- whereby the plate portion may be anchored tothe upper frame member 13. The outer edge of the plate portion 41 isformed, adjacent its central portion, with a substantially circularcross section hinge pintle receiving extension 43 having a lengthsubstantially equal to the length of the notch or recess 31. Pintlereceiving portion 43 is arranged to embrace the pintle 35 along theexposed portion thereof between the two spaced bight portions of thehinge member 39, and to be Wrapped therearound to thereby hingedlyinterconnect the hinge members 30 and 40.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention shown inFIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the second hinge member 4t) is provided with meansfor engaging and supporting the inner frame member 23. As shownparticularly in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, this means comprises an integral lip45 which is curved downwardly from the inner edge of the plate portion40 to form a bight, as at 4-6, and then extends outwardly in spacedparallel relation to the plate portion'dil, as indicated at 47, theportion 47 having a downturned extremity 48.

By reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be noted that, when the bag isopened, or is closed but not latched, the

flap may be swung up and out of the way and will stay in this position,unlike the flaps previously used which have been secured by stitchingalong the wall 11, for example, and thus biased to overlap the wall 21.T hereby, the annoyance of having the catch 17 engage into the latchwhen opening the bag, or when trying to keep the bag partly opened, isavoided. This is due to the two-part metal hinge construction 3il-4il,with one part being secured to the flap 20 and the second part beingsecured to the outer frame 13.

Furthermore, when the bag is closed, the inner frame supporting portion45 has its Wall 47 extending beneath the inner frame 23 and supportingthe same, whereby the inner and outer frames are, in efiect, anchoredtogether so that the weight of the bag may be transferred to the handle15 without there being any relative upward bending of the outer frame 13or downward bending of the inner frame 23.

"In cases where the briefcase is not intended to support a great deal ofweight, so that a support for the inner frame member 23 is notnecessary, the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4 may be used.The second hinge member 46 shown in FIG. 4 is identical with the hingemember of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, except that, in the case of member All, theflap is omitted. Other- Wise, the construction is exactly the same asthat of the member 40 of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.

From the foregoing description, it will be noted that the briefcaseembodying the invention has numerous practical advantages. The flap 2!when the briefcase is opened, swings back on the novel hingeconstruction 30-35-40 so that the user has a fullview of the contents ofthe briefcase. When flap 2G is in this swung back position, there is nodanger of the flap 2t? scratching a hand when placing material in thebag or removing it therefrom. The hinge construction 3il354d, by virtueof allowing the flap 2% to swing back as a unit, prevents tearing,breaking, or cracking of the flap 2% due to constant bending back andforth, which latter is characteristic of prior art briefcases.Additionally, the shelf or flap 45 of the hinge interlocks the upper andlower frames, thus preventing sagging of the frames when the briefcaseis heavily loaded.

While specific embodiments of the invention has been shown and describedin detail to illustrate the application of the principles of theinvention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles. 7

What is claimed is:

1. In a briefcase or the like of the valise type and including a pair ofside walls of leather or leather-like material, a pair of inner andouter relatively rigid frame members each secured to and extending alongthe upper margin of a respective side wall and hingedly interconnectedto define a top opening, the inner and outer frame members beingoverlapped when the opening is closed, latch means secured to one sidewall, and a flap of leather or leather-like material extending from theother side wall and carrying a catch releasably engageable with thelatch means to latch the briefcase closed: the improvement comprising afirst metal hinge member secured to the inner end of said flap andhaving hinge pintle receiving means projecting beyond said inner end; ahinge pintle engaged in said hinge pintle receiving means; and a secondmetal hinge member including a relatively flat plate portion underlyingand secured to said outer frame member and having hinge pintle receivingmeans projecting outwardly of the margin of such other side wall andengaged with said hinge pintle.

2. A briefcase or the like as claimed in claim 1 in which said firstmetal hinge member comprises a metal strap element folded on itself toembrace the inner edge of said flap and anchored to said flap, saidstrap element having a centrally located relatively elongated recesswhich, when the folded strap element is anchored to the inner end ofsaid flap, defines an outwardly opening notch located intermediate apair of bights receiving said hinge pintle; the hinge pintle receivingmeans of said second hinge member embracing said pintle between saidbights.

3. In a briefcase or the like of the valise type and including a pair ofside Walls, a pair of inner and outer relatively rigid frame memberseach secured to and extending along the upper margin of a respectiveside wall and hingedly interconnected to define a top opening, the

inner and outer frame members being overlapped when the opening isclosed, latch means secured to one side Wall, and a flap extending fromthe other side wall and carrying a catch releasably engaged with thelatch means to latch the briefcase closed: the improvement comprising afirst metal hinge member secured to the inner end of said flap andhaving hinge pintle receiving means projecting beyond said inner end; ahinge pintle engaged in said hinge pintle receiving means; and asecondmetal hinge member secured to said outer frame member and havinghinge pintle receiving means projecting outwardly of the margin of suchother side wall and engaged with said hinge pintle; said first metalhinge member comprising a metal strap element folded on itself toembrace the inner edge of said flap and anchored to said flap, saidstrap element having a centrally located relatively elongated recesswhich, when the folded strap element is anchored to the inner end ofsaid flap, defines an outwardly opening notch located intermediate apair of bights receiving said hinge pintle; the hinge pintle receivingmeans of said second hinge member embracing said pintle between saidbights; and in which second hinge member comprises a relatively fiatplate portion secured to and underlying said outer frame member and alip portion projecting from the outer edge of said plate portion andcurved to a circular cross section to receive said pintle; the length ofsaid lip portion being substantially equal to the length of said notch.

4. In a briefcase or the like of the valise type and including a pair ofside walls, a pair of inner and outer relatively rigid frame memberseach secured to and extending along the upper margin of a respectiveside wall and hingedly interconnected to define a top opening, the innerand outer frame members being overlapped when the opening is closed,latch means secured to one side wall, and a flap extending from theother side wall and carrying a catch releasably engaged with the latchmeans to latch the briefcase closed: the improvement comprising a firstmetal hinge member secured to the inner end of said flap and havinghinge pintle receiving means projecting beyond said inner end; a hingepintle engaged in said hinge pintle receiving means; and a second metalhinge member secured to said outer frame member and having hinge pintlereceiving means projecting outwardly of the margin of such other sidewall and engaged with said hinge pintle; said first metal hinge membercomprising a metal strap element folded on itself to embrace the inneredge of said flap and anchored to said flap, said strap element having acentrally located relatively elongated recess which, when the foldedstrap element is anchored to the inner end of said flap, defines anoutwardly opening notch located intermediate a pair of bights receivingsaid hinge pintle; the hinge pintle receiving means of said second hingemember embracing said pintle between said bights; and in which saidsecond hinge member including a plate portion secured to said outerframe member, and a lip integral with said plate portion and extendingdownwardly from the inner edge of said plate portion and then outwardlyparallel to said plate portion to embrace and support said inner framemember in the closed condition of the briefcase.

5. In a briefcase or the like as claimed in claim 4, the outer edge ofsaid lip being curved downwardly to facilitate engagement of said innerframe member over said lip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,112,888 Burchess Oct. 6, 1914 2,474,003 Lifton June 21, 1949 2,630,851Rodgers Mar. 10, 1953 2,707,505 Klehr May 3, 1955 2,859,787 Perlin Nov.11, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 363,947 Germany Mar. 30, 1920

1. IN A BRIEFCASE OR THE LIKE OF THE VALISE TYPE AND INCLUDING A PAIR OFSIDE WALLS OF LEATHER OR LEATHER-LIKE MATERIAL, A PAIR OF INNER ANDOUTER RELATIVELY RIGID FRAME MEMBERS EACH SECURED TO AND EXTENDING ALONGTHE UPPER MARGIN OF A RESPECTIVE SIDE WALL AND HINGEDLY INTERCONNECTEDTO DEFINE A TOP OPENING, THE INNER AND OUTER FRAME MEMBERS BEINGOVERLAPPED WHEN THE OPENING IS CLOSED, LATCH MEANS SECURED TO ONE SIDEWALL, AND A FLAP OF LEATHER OR LEATHER-LIKE MATERIAL EXTENDING FROM THEOTHER SIDE WALL AND CARRYING A CATCH RELEASABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH THELATCH MEANS TO LATCH THE BRIEFCASE CLOSED: THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AFIRST METAL HINGE MEMBER SECURED TO THE INNER END OF SAID FLAP ANDHAVING HINGE PINTLE RECEIVING MEANS PROJECTING BEYOND SAID INNER END; AHINGE PINTLE ENGAGED IN SAID HINGE PINTLE RECEIVING MEANS; AND A SECONDMETAL HINGE MEMBER INCLUDING A RELATIVELY FLAT PLATE PORTION UNDERLYINGAND SECURED TO SAID OUTER FRAME